Medical authorities have learned the value of a continuous and thorough dental hygiene program for the prevention of dental carries, periodontal diseases and deterioration of tooth surfaces caused by bacterial infection in the mouth. It has been recently learned that cavities are developed in teeth as a result of chemical reaction with the tooth surface caused by bacteria constantly present in the mouth. The bacteria produce acids and similar toxins which attack the surface of the teeth and dissolve the surfaces thus producing cavities which must be repaired in order to save the tooth.
Plaque forms on tooth surfaces above and below the gums. The plaque acts as a harbor for bacteria and also tends to loosen the gums from the tooth surface and cause periodontal diseases. If this bacterial action and formation of plaque is not interrupted, the periodontal disease which develops will frequently result in loss of the teeth due to loosening from the bone structure in which the tooth is anchored.
Dentists have long recommended a combined program of flossing the teeth and brushing teeth in order to disturb and remove the formation of plaque and other tooth decay agents which form in the mouth. It is now generally recognized that it is desirable to remove as much bacterial plaque as possible from the interproximal spaces and from beneath the free gingival margin as well as from the surfaces of the teeth. A recommended program is to interrupt the formation of plaque during any given twenty-four hour period by isolating and disturbing the bacteria growth. The disturbance of the plaque formed on the teeth and the breakup of bacteria groups tend to reduce the damage which is done to the teeth by the bacterial action.
A good home dental program requires the use of a toothbrush of good design. The patient frequently will be advised by a dentist to use a brush which gives maximum cleansing action to the gingival area at one time of the day and may recommend the use of a different brush such as one which will effectively clean the interproximal areas at another time during the day in the dental hygiene program.
Since medical authorities have learned that tooth decay and periodontal diseases may be affected by bacterial action, they have come to recognize the need for destroying these bacteria colonies which form on the tooth surfaces. While it is recognized that it is not possible currently to completely remove the bacteria from the mouth, it is possible through an effective home cleansing program to reduce the effect of the bacterial action to a minimum. The primary function of the toothbrush is to destroy colonies of bacteria and remove plaque so that there will be no buildup in the concentration of plaque and bacteria concentrations which will attack the various structures of a patient's mouth.
Once medical authorities recognized the bacterial nature of disease which damage the teeth, it became apparent that the toothbrush which a patient uses in a routine program of dental cleanliness is itself a potential source of reinfection of the mouth. Authorities have learned that the toothbrush itself is a notoriously septic instrument. Microscopic particles or larger particles frequently become lodged in the bristles where they reenter the mouth on the next brushing of the teeth. Further, depending upon the frequency of brushing, the bristles may tend to remain septicly moist for long periods of time at normal room temperatures. Often the bristles will remain moist until the next use of the brush. This repeated use of septic brushes and brushes which are thoroughly contaminated with dangerous bacterial infections simply results in reinfection of the mouth by the very bacteria which produce diseases.
Various techniques have been suggested in order to avoid the septic conditions encountered by a frequent user of toothbrushes in a proper home dental program. One such solution is to rigorously flush the bristles of the toothbrush before and after each use to remove contaminating particles and bacteria colonies. Another technique has been to recommend the use of multiple toothbrushes so that a brush is permitted to become thoroughly dry prior to the next succeeding use of the brush.
Medical authorities also have confirmed that the toothbrush used by a sick patient can also harbor bacteria which are responsible for sore throats and other oral infections. A warm steamy bathroom is the perfect environment for the growth of such organisms. When the gums are cut or bruised during brushing, the bacteria responsible for such sore throats can reenter the blood stream or respiratory system, and consequently, prolong an infection which would otherwise have had a rather short duration of infection of the user of the brush. Some authorities recommend that in order to avoid such reinfection, that users discard toothbrushes every two weeks since it has been found that it takes less than three weeks for bacteria to heavily infect the bristles of brushes in constant use in warm environments.
Further, dentists have learned that depending upon the shape of a patient's teeth, the arrangement of those teeth and the structures of the mouth, different brushes having different characteristics will be recommended from time to time in a well-balanced home dental program.
The goal of an effective home program is to encourage frequent and routine use of toothbrushes. In order to encourage an effective program of this type, there have been provided disposable units which are proposed for such programs. These prior art disposable units, however, have had several serious disadvantages which have not been addressed effectively. First, the reusable portion of the unit frequently becomes contaminated and septic in the same fashion as the bristles of the brush. Such contamination causes the reinfection which is to be avoided in such disposable units.
These prior art disposable units were not of the type which were conveniently cleaned and made aseptic. Such units were not the type which might be used for travelers in a convenient fashion.
Further, dentists have learned through tests that many of the toothbrushes purchased new from stores are themselves contaminated with a variety of bacteria which infect the patient's mouth immediately upon use. Consequently, purchase of a new toothbrush in order to avoid bacterial infection of the oral cavities does not itself insure effective dental hygiene program.